Robbers mainly using motorcycles, bikes – McBean
-15-year-old in custody over holdup of CLC students
Police Commander of Region 4A, Assistant Commissioner, Simon McBean says that motorcycles and bicycles are the main mode of transportation used to carry out robberies.
“…Those are the main mode of transportation for most of our robberies,”
McBean told Stabroek News during a telephone interview yesterday.
McBean said the police are aware of the trend and have been targeting motorcyclists and pedal cyclists over the past year.
“The police have been on a daily basis targeting motorcycles and bicycles. We are doing that for the past year, year and half based on the trends that are before us,” McBean said.
The operations, which include stop and search exercises have resulted in the arrest of suspect/s of these and other criminal activities, McBean said.
According to McBean, in some instances, motorcyclists do possess the relevant documents.
However, he noted that there are also situations where some would escape the police, leaving their motorcycles. “We have incidents of people running away and leave their motorcycles….and never turn up for them to those who have relevant documents and they have been proven to be okay,” he explained.
On Monday night, two female students of the Critchlow Labour College (CLC) were robbed at knife-point by a motorcycle gang just after finishing classes.
Police had confirmed that incident which occurred at approximately 21:00 hrs as the students were waiting on transportation.
Asked for an update yesterday, McBean told Stabroek News that a 15year-old suspect was arrested as the investigation continues.
The suspect, McBean said was found in possession of a cellular phone that was stolen during the robbery.
Investigations revealed that the females, a 20-yearold of Camp Street, Werken-Rust, Georgetown, and a 28-year-old of Block 8, Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara, were robbed at knife-point by eight male suspects who rode up to them on motorcycles.
During the attack the men stole a Samsung Galaxy cell phone valued $30,000, and $23,000 cash from the 20-year-old victim while her colleague was relieved of a Samsung A30 cell phone valued $57,000 and $8,000 cash.
One of the eight bandits was armed with a knife and it was he who pointed it at the victims in a menacing manner while the other gang members relieved them of their valuables.
After robbing their victims, the suspects then escaped west along Woolford Avenue and onto Albert Street.